hi, im looking for a high quality digital camera in the 350-400$ USrange, 500 being max. i know next to nothing about cameras themselves, but im very into photography and learn fast so i want something high end with plenty of features.

The first group of cameras you probably want to look at are the superzooms, like the Sony H2 or H5, Canon S3IS, and Fuji S6000 or S9100. These tend to have a good amount of features, and tend to be near DSLR size.

If you don't need as much zoom and want a feature rich camera that's a bit smaller than the big zooms, the Canon G7 or G6, Kodack P880, or Olympus SP-350 would be good choices.

You might have to be more specific about what features you want. Is it important to be able to use an external flash (a dedicated one that comunicates with the camera)? Is it important to have RAW mode (for best results if you post process images on your computer)? How about manual focus?

There are also some compact and even pocket sized cameras without quite as many features but with a a decent amount of manual controls over things like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO setting.

And you might consider that your price range is getting prety close to the entry level DSLR range as well. Especially if a long zoom isn't important right now, and you are willing to learn to tweak camera settings for best results, you might consider that step.